‘Be compassionate as your Heavenly Father is compassionate.’
(see Luke 6:36-38)
When we speak of justice, we often mean justice for someone who has been harmed or had a crime committed against them, which also means punishment for the person who has committed the crime.
It may be difficult for many people to think of those who have received a prison sentence for a crime they have committed as being vulnerable or deserving of compassion. However, half of prisoners are at or below the level expected of an 11 year old in reading, two-thirds in numeracy and four-fifth is writing. All the research suggests that the men and women in British prisons today are extraordinarily disadvantaged and vulnerable individuals. Compared with the general population, prisoners are thirteen times more likely to have been in care as a child, thirteen times as likely to have been unemployed, ten times as likely to have been a truant at or excluded from school, and five times as likely to have been in receipt of benefits.
Society is always, quite rightly, keen for justice for the victims of crime but there must always be room for rehabilitation of the offender. How compassionate are we towards those released from prison? Are we as compassionate as our Heavenly Father is compassionate, as compassionate as Christ who died between two convicted criminals, and promised paradise?
PRAY FOR those in prison and for their families, for all who work in the Prison and Probation Services, and that we may show understanding and patience with those who are trying to rehabilitate their lives.
Our daily reflections for Lent focus on the many injustices which exist in our world, as we seek to connect our life of prayer to social justice, the Justice of God which Christ proclaimed. More resources are available at www.southcardiffministryarea.co.uk/just-lent
South Cardiff Ministry Area 